As many people have experienced, some online accounts require frequent password changes. Hypothetically, these frequent changes will protect the account but new research from University of North Carolina seems to indicate otherwise. Researchers used deactivated student and teacher accounts that had been subject to frequent changes as well as info about the passwords previously used. What they discovered is that users who are forced to change a password on a regular basis often times used a pattern based on old ones which means that a hacker could more easily guess the new code. In addition, the study found that those who used simple passwords were more likely to continue using simple variants rather than making alterations that make it more secure. This study is yet another that shows the ease with which many hackers can gain access to account. As more people have valuable online assets it is imperative they are protected. This extends to estate planning so when creating passwords always make sure that they will be hard to guess and never reveal it unless absolutely necessary.
See Lorrie Cranor, Time to rethink mandatory password changes, Federal Trade Commission, March 2, 2016.
